"Chilled" pork--Part I: Sensory and physico-chemical quality

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Sensory Analysis

Background:

• Chilled meat exportation involves chilling meat below 0°C without freezing for extended periods.
• The impact of this specific chilling process on pork's sensory attributes remains largely uninvestigated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the sensory quality of Canadian pork destined for the Japanese export market versus pork sold domestically.
• To understand how chilled ageing affects pork's flavor, odor, texture, and overall palatability.

Main Methods:

• Pork quality was assessed based on Japanese market criteria and compared to domestic standards.
• Sensory evaluation was conducted by a trained panel on pork prepared via roasting, grilling, and shabu shabu.
• Objective measurements included lightness, exudate, cooking loss, and intramuscular fat content.

Main Results:

• While meeting export criteria, online-sorted export pork differed in lightness, exudate, and cooking loss from domestic pork.
• A trained panel detected weaker pork and meat flavors and odors in export pork compared to domestic pork.
• Grilled export pork exhibited enhanced tenderness, sweetness, and caramel flavor after prolonged chilled ageing.

Conclusions:

• Extended chilled ageing under export conditions (-1.7°C, 43 days) negatively affected flavor and odor profiles compared to domestic chilling (3.1°C, 5 days).
• Despite sensory differences, specific objective quality parameters like intramuscular fat remained comparable.
• Chilled ageing significantly influences the sensory outcomes of pork, with implications for market preferences and product development.